Storm Bella brings gales of up to 70mph TODAY after people evacuated from homes on Christmas Day

Storm Bella will bring severe gales and heavy rain on Boxing Day, the Met Office has warned, after people were evacuated from their homes on Christmas Day due to flooding. 

Its arrival will bring winds of up to 70mph in exposed coastal locations and further downpours.

There was flooding around the country on Christmas Day, with 1,300 residents living in parts of Bedfordshire urged to leave their homes.

One woman described how she had only an hour to move her father’s belongings before floodwater from the River Great Ouse, which had burst its banks, started ‘coming through the walls’.  

An amber wind warning, which warns travel could be disrupted, has been issued for parts of south Wales and across southern England on Saturday.

Meanwhile, a yellow warning of wind for the whole of England and Wales as well as the far south of Scotland has also been issued and will be in force from 3pm on Boxing Day. 

Further rain is expected on Sunday and Monday and the area is one of three under a severe flood warning, meaning a danger to life, along with the Cogenhoe Mill caravan site and Billing Aquadrome Holiday Park, both on the River Nene in Northamptonshire.

Storm Bella will bring severe gales and heavy rain on Boxing Day, the Met Office has warned, after people were evacuated from their homes on Christmas Day due to flooding. Pictured: The scenes of flooding in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, on Boxing Day morning

Its arrival will bring winds of up to 70mph in exposed coastal locations and further downpours. There was flooding around the country on Christmas Day, with residents living in parts of Bedfordshire urged to leave their homes after the River Great Ouse (pictured today) burst its banks. 

Aerial view of the town of Bedford, where 1,300 homes along the river Ouse have been ordered to evacuate following a severe flood warning given by the environment agency

Meanwhile, a yellow warning of wind for the whole of England and Wales as well as the far south of Scotland has also been issued and will be in force from 3pm on Boxing Day.

In addition to the strong winds, the Met Office said a period of heavy rain will affect western and southern areas on Boxing Day. 

A yellow warning for rain has been issued for parts of Scotland, Wales and much of north and south west England on Saturday, including areas where there has already been flooding from recent downpours.

In Ireland, Met Eireann issued a country-wide status yellow wind and rain warning, in force until 4am on Sunday. 

As of 5am, England had 78 flood warnings and 99 flood alerts, two flood warnings and five flood alerts are in force in Wales, and seven warnings and 13 alerts have been issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Bedfordshire Police on Friday ‘strongly urged’ residents living near the River Great Ouse to seek alternative accommodation as high levels of floodwater passed through Kempston and Bedford.

Nine people and three dogs had to be rescued from a flood-hit property in Harrold, Bedfordshire. 

The scenes of flooding in Cambridgeshire on Boxing Day morning. Water had engulfed fields and roads after the River Ouse burst its banks

The distressing scenes were brought on by heavy rainfall on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

A birds-eye view shows how close some homes have come to being flooded in Cambridgeshire

This morning, a line of cars could be seen travelling across a bridge as floodwater surged just below

A bench was seen with flood water surging around it after the River Great Ouse burst its banks  

A family were seen walking next to the flood water in Bedford after the River Great Ouse burst its banks, prompting authorities to warn people to leave their homes

Aerial view on Boxing Day of the town of Bedford, where 1300 homes along the river Ouse have been ordered to evacuate

Bedfordshire Police said people could take refuge in homes of friends and family after the flooding, despite Tier 4 coronavirus rules banning household mixing indoors

This dramatic photo demonstrated the height of the floodwater in Bedford after the River Great Ouse burst its banks

The flooding heaps further misery on Britons already having to cope with coronavirus restrictions which have made a normal Christmas impossible

This dramatic picture showed just how high the flood water has risen, threatening homes and businesses

This aerial photo showed part of a bridge after flood water from the River Great Ouse had spilled over it 

Emergency centres were set up at the Bedfordshire Athletic stadium and Bromham Village Hall.

Debbie Radford, whose father lives in the village of Odell, near the river, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday how she had to help him move many of his possessions from the ground floor to a higher level late on Christmas Eve.  

‘At about 11 O’clock he rang me and said he was in trouble. So I jumped in the car, it was just a couple of miles away and we had literally an hour to move everything off the floor so that we could save washing machines, tumble driers, fridges, carpets, furniture,’ she said. 

‘Literally an hour later, the water started coming in through the walls. Last night it was sitting at 1ft deep throughout the whole ground floor.

‘ The water has risen 15ft. It is 12ft from the river level to the top of the garden, to the bank. 

‘The last time it flooded was 22 years ago and from all the records in Odell it has never, ever been this bad. It just came up, the water was coming up through the drains yesterday.’

On Christmas Day, Superintendent Steve Ashdown, who is leading the response, said officers had visited just over 1,300 homes in the area the previous evening.

‘The river is currently at heightened levels and we’re predicting a significant flooding event by 8pm this evening,’ he said in a video on Twitter.

‘If you received one of those notices last night, you are in one of those properties that are most at risk from this flood. We would encourage you to leave if it is safe for you to do so, as soon as you are able to do so.

‘Appreciate the timing of this at Christmas Day is not great, but the risk to you and your family and wellbeing is significant.’

He asked residents able to leave their homes to do so in a ‘Covid-safe way’ if possible, recommending they go to one single location and stay there until it is safe to return in the coming days.

Across England, a total of 85 flood warnings and 110 flood alerts, as well as the two severe flood warnings, remained in force at 4pm on Christmas Day as huge amounts of water flowed through river catchments.

Northamptonshire Police urged people to stay away from the Billing Aquadrome holiday park, after hundreds were evacuated on Christmas Eve due to high water levels on the River Nene.

The force said water levels had reached 5ft in some places, with emergency services using boats to take residents in the worst-hit areas to safety.

Most of those evacuated were able to find overnight accommodation with friends and family, with a special exemption from Covid-19 restrictions, while about 100 people were transferred to a hotel.

Hundreds were evacuated from their homes and vehicles following a period of heavy rain on Christmas Eve, with severe flood warnings issued for the River Nene in Northamptonshire indicating a risk to life. Pictured: Billings Aquadrome today

Across England, a total of 111 flood warnings and 137 flood alerts, as well as the two severe flood warnings, remained in force at 5am on Christmas Day as huge amounts of water flowed through river catchments. Pictured: Billings Aquadrome

Cars are submerged in water after the River Great Ouse burst its banks causing severe flooding in the region 

Detective Superintendent Jamie Piscopo said: ‘Emergency services are working hard to ensure residents can return to the site as soon as possible, however it is not currently safe to do so.

‘We’d urge them to stay away until such time it is safe to do.’

Britain is set to be battered by 70mph winds on Boxing Day as thousands are forced to evacuate their homes on Christmas Day after widespread flooding in Bedfordshire. 

Residents living near the River Great Ouse in north Bedfordshire were urged to leave their homes and seek alternative accommodation due to the risk of flooding.

Bedfordshire Police tweeted that people should seek alternative housing – which overrides the current Covid-19 regulations.    

Superintendent Steve Ashdown said: ‘A number of serious flood warnings are now in place across the north of the country where we are expecting flooding, including some for serious flooding which has the potential to endanger life. 

‘We contacted 1,309 properties along the river last night and suggested they evacuate, and we would strongly reiterate this advice again based on latest information.’

He added: ‘River levels are extremely high and we are expecting this to have a significant impact across Bedford Borough over the next 24 hours. 

‘The fact this is happening on Christmas Day makes the situation even worse, especially after the disruption so many of us have had to our plans already, and I really do sympathise with people.

‘But this is a really serious situation and we need people to take action in order to keep themselves safe.’ 

Covid-safe emergency assistance centres have been set up by the council at the Bedford International Athletic Stadium and Bromham Village Hall for people who have been evacuated from their homes and have nowhere else to go.   

Because of the flood threat, residents ordered to evacuate by officials ‘are permitted to go to other people’s homes, despite the Tier Four Covid-19 regulations currently in place,’ the council said.

Aerial view of flooding at sunrise this Christmas Day around Tewkesbury following days of torrential rain that has caused the River Severn and Avon to rise and burst their banks where they meet

The River Severn and Avon also burst their banks in Tewkesbury, with dramatic aerial images showing homes and dangerously close to the floodwater on Christmas morning

It added that people should only take what is needed, such as medication, and people should turn off gas, water and electricity and move any valuables upstairs.  

Families last night grabbed unopened presents as flooding forced them to evacuate their homes on the night before Christmas  – with Storm Bella set to bring two inches of rain and 70mph gales on Boxing Day.  

Hundreds were evacuated from their homes and vehicles following a period of heavy rain on Christmas Eve, with severe flood warnings issued for the River Nene in Northamptonshire indicating a risk to life.

The heavy rain is set to continue later today, with up to two inches of rain expected to fall in high areas following a largely clear and dry conditions, the Met Office said. Pictured: Tewkesbury today

The arrival of Storm Bella on Boxing Day will bring further downpours and winds of up to 70mph in exposed coastal locations

Across England, a total of 111 flood warnings and 137 flood alerts, as well as the two severe flood warnings, remained in force at 5am on Christmas Day as huge amounts of water flowed through river catchments.

Northamptonshire Police said the emergency services were working through the night to evacuate more than 1,000 people from the Billing Aquadrome Holiday Park in Northampton. The force said the heavy rain had caused flooding with water up to 5ft deep in places. 

There were also evacuations in Norfolk and Suffolk as families prepared for Christmas Day last night, with a major incident declared by emergency services. Water levels on the River Waveney in Bungay are still being monitored today as some Britons returned home to dry out their sodden carpets and furniture.

In Cambridgeshire, floodwater was knee-deep in Peterborough after it overwhelmed the banks of the River Nene, with Britons seen wading through murky water to check on their boats and property on Christmas Day.

The River Severn and Avon also burst their banks in Tewkesbury, with dramatic aerial images showing homes and  dangerously close to the floodwater on Christmas morning.  

Alex Burkill, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said: ‘Christmas Eve night into Christmas Day is going to be very cold, with harsh widespread frost first thing Christmas morning’

Pictured: A sunrise over Tewkesbury Abbey as floodwater lingers dangerously close to properties after heavy rains

The heavy rain is set to continue later today, with up to two inches of rain expected to fall in high areas following a largely clear and dry conditions, the Met Office said. 

‘Recent wet weather and saturated ground makes this area more sensitive than usual to further heavy rainfall, especially across parts of southern Wales,’ it was added.

The arrival of Storm Bella on Boxing Day will bring further downpours and winds of up to 70mph in exposed coastal locations. 

Alex Burkill, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said: ‘Christmas Eve night into Christmas Day is going to be very cold, with harsh widespread frost first thing Christmas morning.

‘So it could be a White Christmas in as much as lots of people are going to wake up to a frost.’

Light flurries of snow were seen on Christmas Eve, including on the North East coast.

He continued: ‘They’ll be very light, scattered, not everywhere will see them by any means, and for most areas it’s going to be a pretty dry day, just cold, but there is a chance we could see a few showers of snow across eastern parts of England, particularly early on Christmas Day.’

The focus for many will be on the rain that has already fallen after the wet conditions brought flooding including in the Midlands. Pictured: Tewkesbury today

A graphic also showed the weather across the UK this morning, as ice warnings were issued in parts of the country

However, the focus for many will be on the rain that has already fallen after the wet conditions brought flooding including in the Midlands. 

Northamptonshire Search and Rescue were involved in the evacuations at Billing Aquadrome Holiday Park, which included a new mother and a young baby. 

Emergency accommodation was sourced for the residents, some of whom showed signs of hypothermia, at hotels and at least two leisure centres.

Police Chief Superintendent Mick Stamper said it was an ‘exceptionally challenging situation’ and asked residents to leave the site if they could, adding they would be exempt from Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident at the holiday park on Christmas Eve, with five crews and four specialist water teams searching 1,100 caravans.

The force previously responded to 250 incidents following heavy rain, deploying crews to pump out properties and stranded vehicles. 

Aerial view of flooding at Haw Bridge in Tirley, Gloucestershire this Christmas day where the river Severn has burst it’s banks cutting off the people who live there

Pictured: Floodwater in Haw Bridge in Tirley, Gloucestershire on Christmas Day after flooding hit the region overnight

People wade through floodwater to check boats and property at Orton as the area is completed flooded as the River Nene burst its banks in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire

In Cambridgeshire, floodwater was knee-deep in Peterborough after it overwhelmed the banks of the River Nene, with Britons seen wading through murky water to check on their boats and property on Christmas Day

A man wades through floodwater to check boats and property at Orton as the area is completed flooded as the River Nene burst its banks in Peterborough

An amber national severe weather warning has been issued for parts of south Wales and across southern England, with gusts expected to reach up to 70mph in exposed coastal locations

A yellow warning for wind for the whole of England and Wales as well as the far south of Scotland has also been issued and will be in force from 3pm on Boxing Day

St Ives, Cambridgeshire, after the River Great Ouse burst its banks. More bad weather is forecast for Boxing Day with Storm Bella expected to bring heavy rain 

Eight flood warnings are in place in Norfolk, with firefighters from Dereham called to Cranworth, near Watton, to reports of a house that had been flooded by the heavy rain early on Christmas Day.

Another crew from London were called to flooding outside a home on Ditchingham Dam near Bungay at 7.45am, with further reports of a multiple-vehicle crash on Thickthorn roundabout just outside Norwich.     

A police spokesperson said the force had received higher than normal calls over the past 24 hours since Christmas Eve because of flooding. They added officers were supporting the fire service. 

The Met Office said conditions across the UK will turn increasingly unsettled through to December 27, with strong winds and heavy rain moving in from the north.

An amber national severe weather warning has been issued for parts of south Wales and across southern England, with gusts expected to reach up to 70mph in exposed coastal locations.

A yellow warning for wind for the whole of England and Wales as well as the far south of Scotland has also been issued and will be in force from 3pm on Boxing Day.